Tom Sabwa, our old friend, pictured beside our hire vehicle in 2006 at Dago
Kokore. Tom is now the Deputy Head Teacher at Alara School.

Tom is the type of person who gets things organised, and gets things done.
In 2005 we had the pleasure af staying in Tom's home.

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ALARA SCHOOL 2007

Kisumu, Kenya

We first became involved with Alara School when we made a visit there early
in 2006. Tom Sabwa, who was the leading figure in organising our building
projerct at Dago Kokore School, was transferred to Alara School, where he
took up the position as Deputy Head Teacher.

The school is a happy place. That became very evident in our visit in 2006,
when we met the teachers and many of the children. Despite the poor school
buildings, it is a successful school. Like most others, it has a very large
proportion of orphaned children due to parents dying of AIDS.

Alara School in 2006

The staff at Alara School (2006)

It is our aim to help Alara School, its teachers and children as much as
possible within our limited resources.

We identified one of the main problem areas to be the infrastructure. The
school building, access, and communication with the outside world. Earlier
in 2007 we supplied the funds to install a telephone to the school. We want
to get around to improving the classrooms and their facilities, but the first
project that was high on their priorities was a new administration block
with a staff work room, office and toilet facilities. The rooms used at the
moment are frankly dire. They are much too small, totally inadequate, and
basically the usual mud construction.

The whole of the administration block project will cost about Ksh 550,000/=
and in September 2007 we sent them funds for half of this amount. Work began
immediately! By the time we make our visit in mid October it will be well
under way and we are sure to see some results.

Just up the road from the school is the equator! Rod Neep poses with a foot
in each hemisphere. In the background are Zadok and Tom.

Alara Primary School

Some basic statistics:

420 primary children (aged 7 to 14)

87 nursery children

10 children with special needs

9 class rooms (8 in the primary school)

14 teachers and assistant staff.

On September 24th, we received the following photos from Alara School.
Work has begun!

Above: An important occasion!
Prayers and breaking of the ground by sponsor of the school Rev. Washington
Onyuku (of A>I>C). Present at the site are the Assistant Chief, community
representatives, teachers, head teacher Mrs Perez Oliech (right), and the
Deputy head teacher Mr Tom Sabwa (third from left).

Above: Measuring and marking of the foundation. On site, the labourers, Deputy
Head Teacher Tom, and the Head Teacher Perez. (In the background are some
of the school classrooms).

Above: Foundation digging, being watched by Tom and the Head Teacher Perez.

A computer and printer for the school

We shall be taking a laptop computer and a printer with us to give to them.
Its not a new one, but kindly donated by Nikki (of Archive CD Books). At
present all letters and reports are hand written and they have to go 20 miles
to Kisumu to send an email. As they already have the phone line, then all
that will change!

When the new administration block is complete - what next?

We have some extremely ambitious and awesome ideas. Would it be possible
to build a whole new primary school with 8 class rooms to replace the existing
buildings?

On September 24th we received a letter from Alara.

Alara Primary School
PO Box 8059 - DAGO
via KISUMU
Kenya

17/09/07

Dear Gay and Rod

On behalf of Alara fraternity, I take this opportunity as the Headteacher
to greatly thank you both for your kind gesture towards Alara Primary
School. You have made Tom and I very proud administrators by making our dreams
come true.

It had been our prayers and wish since we were promoted to the posts of the
Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher respectively to leave Alara Primary School
better thasn we found it.

When Tom discussed with me about the two of you being his very good associates
and who are always ready to give assistance to the Kenya schools I gave him
an OK to communicate with you concerning our school Alara. It did not take
long before he came to my office one morning with a message in his mobile
phone that you had offered 25,000/= for the telephone. That was indeed the
beginning of good things from you. Come June he surprised me with the good
news that you were ready to donate an administration block and that we should
come up with a plan. As if that was not enough, I was mesmerised when he
came with the message that you would donate 550,000/= for the administration
block, and that you've sent 200,000/= for the start of work.

Indeed I saw the kindness and love you had for Alara and the good friendship
between you and Tom. I'm glad to inform you both that we have already put
the money into use as you can see in the photos. Our dreams have been made
tru by Gay and Rod. We shall now one day leave Alara school better than how
we found it.

That's good news indeed. We are so looking forwards to visiting Alara in
October! Obviously this is just the start of this important project. We'll
be identifying their other needs, and we are know there will be lots!

The first draft drawings of our plans for a new 8 classroom school at
Alara.
(Thanks to Paul Neep)

If you would like to help us with this project, then please click on the
"Donate" button.
Payments are accepted securely though Paypal in any currency.
No matter how small, we really appreciate your donations, and the Kenyans
will too!
Remember, we don't take anything out of the fund for our trips and expenses,
nothing comes out for administration costs. Every penny of donations gets
put to good, direct use.

If you fancy coming with us on one of our future trips to Kisumu, then let
us know. We'll not hide the fact that you will pay for your trip expenses,
the hotel where we stay in Kisumu isn't 5 star (its cheap and basic, but
OK), you will need lots of innoculations, and you will eat basic food. But,
you will have a life-changing experience, and you will want to go back again
and become even more involved.